October 26, 2007 

calling all Michiganders



So who's going to GA in a couple weeks? You want to go to lunch, dinner, coffee? Maybe I could REALLY bring an espresso machine [Sorry Nate and Brent] and host something in my room. what are you guys up for?

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look out there's evil out there

So I'm thumbing through some mail at the office. Do you guys get as much junkmail at the office as I do? Man! I come across "The Gospel Trumpet." I say out loud, "Wow, it's still around? who knew? And why am I getting it?" (What, You don't talk out loud to yourself? Whatever.) So I start looking at this Gospel Trumpet. There's readership from all over the world apparently. I picked this up in the Tesimonies & Letters section where there were correspondence with people from Ohio, Texas, Kenya, Ukraine, and Nepal.

Then I came upon this article with the picture to the left as the heading. Very creative idea. Basically the article says don't watch tv or movies, or be hip or cool, because that is of the Devil. These things are rated N for none. They don't watch tv, or movies and say there is much harmony in their family because of it. There are tons of scripture references. I've got to be honest. I laughed as I first started reading. You'd think I was watching something on youtube.
Here's the deal. Much of the article, I actually agree with. TV and movies can distract us from God, true. I don't have cable for two reasons. 1. I don't have much time to watch it after ministry and a nightly cage match with my boys. So I don't want to pay for something I won't get much bang for my buck. 2. If we had it, it would be on all the time. It would distract us from the important things, like knowing my friends and family.

Here's why I speak up about this article: Tone and ChOGness. I call into question the tone, because I wonder if this brother talks to his neighbors, or people in the world around him that don't follow Jesus in this same arrogant, self righteous tone. I just wonder. I taste an opening of separatist with a fighter pilot finish. Both leaving a bitter aftertaste. Do we in the Church of God come across in this way to other Christians, and to those that are not-yet-Christians? It's one thing to abstain from things in the culture, but for me, from a distance from this brother it seems that he would not only smash a tv with a 20pounder, he would do the same thing verbally to someone. That's just what I "heard" as I read the article.

I just wonder. I reminds me a little of the Nooma - Bullhorn. I just wonder if that's the perception that the world has of us. As the church what smell are we giving off to those in the world around us? [reference to last post] Is it the aroma of Christ , or do we smell like we ate a spiritual burrito supreme, soft taco, and Baja Blast Mt Due? Just a gut check. (Bwaaaaaaaaoooop) "oh man, excuse me!"

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October 17, 2007 

bland?

Here is an interesting find by Lloyd Moritz over at ChOGBlog. It talks about Charles Shultz's roots in the Church of God. This post brings up an interesting question. In an EPIC world {Experiential, Participatory, Image rich, and Connective}[Len Sweat], are we as ChOGers ill-equipt to relate to the world around us? How creative and artisitc is your congregation? We've got a few people. Our building isn't, it looks like every other Indiana Limestone church built in the 50s. Except we've added on since then, something that most of those vintage churches have not done.

What's your church's creative score? 1 to 10: 1 being stick figure, 10 being Di Vinci

Is there a difference between your church and your specific area of ministry? Why is that? What would that score be?

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October 09, 2007 

the sweet old lady

hey was anyone at catalyst? If you were, could you share the wealth.

I was teaching a couple sessions at the ChOG in MI Christian Leadership Convention Saturday. I tag teamed one session with Terry Blackford. We ping-ponged off each other a bit which was fun. Thanks Terry for sharing your story and the wisdom you've gained so far in ministry.

There was something else that happend that really reminded me of this migration we're undergoing. There was this older lady that came to the session that Terry and I were doing. I thought it was kinda sweet that this old lay was coming in hear to listen to Me and Terry, guys that could easily be her grandsons. my first thought was this lady is a prayer warrior, cool. As Terry started things off and as he went on it looked like our old friend had a head ache or was really trying to concentrate. Honestly I was trying not to be distracted by her so I didn't look much, she was sitting at table that was right in front of me. at some point she just blurted about about a ministry that she wanted to start in schools. she wanted to go into high schools and start teaching classes about God and teach from the Bible. She really derailed me, and I couldn't get her back on it. With the help of others in the room she decided to talk to someone about it "after class."

This situation was a real reminder to me. This nice old lady was really passionate, but she was so out of touch that she didn't know that students, let a lone the school administration wouldn't give her the time of day, if she just walked in to school and wanted to teach like that. She couldn't see that she would be perceived by people that she was spraying people with a Bible Machine gun. [Picture me pretending to load and fire a 50cal accompanied with the proper sound affects.] It reminded me that we've still got to tell a lot of people in the church that the world has changed. It continues to change. At alarming rates for many people.

Let's help people see. Let's have some hard talks with people we know. People that are treating their friends and neighbors badly on behalf of Jesus and they don't even know it.

In The Beginging

The First Post

Who's Migrating

If you'd like to contribute
email Randy